Heel rests



May 21, 1957 N. P. Dl GIOVANNI 2,792,721

HEEL REsTs Filed June B. 1955 2 sheets-sheet 1.

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HEEL REsTs Filed June a, 195s 2 sheets-sheet 2 2 /425 /46 faz 5a;

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United States PatentO HEEL REsrs Norman P. Di Giovanni, Babylon, N. Y. Application June s, 1953, serial No. 360,205

16 Claims. (cl. 74-560) The present invention relates to heel rests and, more particularly, to such structures adapted for use with foot accelerator means for automobiles, such as accelerator pedals.

A general object of the present invention is to provide suc'h devices which are readily constructed and economically assembled on a mass production basis; and which eiiiciently provide abutment means to prevent lateral or transverse slipping of a persons heel when selectively positioned in any of a plurality of `different possible positions thereon, the device in its various forms being automatically operable to permit la person to select and main tain in simple fashion a comfortable foot position as may be dictated by his physical characteristics and/ or by circumstances.

A more speciiic object of the present invention is Vto provide such a heel rest preferably in the form of `an accelerator pedal superstructure adapted to support a persons foot and having a heel zone equipped with a plurality of outwardly-biased, separately-depressible projecting `abutment means, each `adapted to be depressed to substantial ushness with the top of the superstructure when a heel bottom is pressed thereagainst, with those there adi jacent not `so depressed efficiently serving as stop means to avoid lateral slipping of the heel.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of structural embodiments `of the device which may be readily constructed and which permit efficient use and operation thereof.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects `of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed `description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is :a side elevational view of an accelerator pedal of an automobile equipped with a form of the device of the present invention and showing in section la portion of the door of the drivers compartment lto which the pedal is pivotally mounted .and through which la portion of the linkage connected between the pedaland the throttle valve extends, a persons foot disposed thereof being indicated in dotted lines;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view to an enlarged scale, with parts broken away and in section, of the accelerator pedal and the device of the present invention mounted as a superstructure thereon shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan View, with parts broken away and in section, of the superstructure shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section, with parts broken away, taken substantially on line 4 4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is 'an enlarged transverse section taken substan any on une 5 5 of Fig. 4;

ICC

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the heel abutment devices, parts of which are shown in end elevation in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is la top plan view, with parts broken away, of another embodiment of the device of the present invention;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 8 8 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 9 9 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a top plan view similar to Fig. 7 of another embodiment of the device of the present invention, show ing one of the abutment means in transverse section;

Fig. l1 is a sectional View taken substantially on line 11-11 of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a top plan view similar to Fig. 7 of still another embodiment of the device of the present invention;

Fig. 13 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 13-13 of Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is a top plan view similar to Figs. 7 and 12 of an additional embodiment of the present invention; and

Fig. 15 is a side elevational view, with parts broken away and in section, of the structure shown in Fig. 14.

Referring to the drawings in which like numerals identify similar parts throughout, it will be seen that an embodiment of the present invention as depicted in Figs. l to 6 incl. may comprise a separate superstructure which may be easily mounted upon an existing accelerator pedal of an automobile by the owner, although it will be clear from the following description that embodiments of the device of the present invention may be directly incor- .porated by the car manufacturer in the accelerator pedal structure as built-in superstructure. As indicated in Fig. 1, the floor in the drivers compartment of an automobile may include ia horizontal section 29, and an upwardlysloping or oblique section 21 having a hole 22 therein through which extends :a link member 23 constituting a part of the linkage connected between the throttle valve and accelerator pedal 24. As is usualy, the link member 23 is spring-biased outwardly by any suitable means, such :as the spring diagrammatically indicated at 25, and has suitable pivot connection with the forward end of pedal 24 at 26. The back end of the pedal 24 is suitably pivotally supported :at 27, e. g., upon the oor section 20. An embodiment of the present invention is mounted upon the pedal 24 as a separate superstructure 28, on which is rested a persons foot, diagrammatically indicated in dotted lines at 29.

As is best seen from Fig. 4, an embodiment of the device of the present invention in the form of a separate unitary assembly 28 preferably consists of :a hollow body 30 having a top plate 31 and a base member or bottom plate 32. The bottom plate 32 may have a pair of holes 33, 33 extending therethrough which are adapted to receive a pair of bolts 34, 34, which may be projected up i through holes 35, 35 in top plate 36 of the accelerator pedal structure 24 to permit ready and simple attachment thereto.

Als will be understood from Figs. 4 and 5, the top plate 31 may have its longitudinal edges 37, 37 turned down substantially normal thereto to provide side flanges. The longitudinal edges 38, 38 of the bottom plate 32 preferably are turned up substantially normal thereto to provide side anges which nest between the top plate side angcs 37, 37. The rear portion of the superstructure 28 constitutes a heel zone 39 in which the longitudinal edges of the bottom plate 32 are separated :from the side flanges 38, 38 and turned up substantially normal to the plate proper along lines inward of the lines of bend of the side flanges 38, 38. As a result, side flanges 40, 40 are formed in the heel zone 39 and, as will be seen from Fig. `5, are spaced appreciably inwardly ofthe inner faces of 'posit-ion.

the side flanges 37, 37. Such inward spacing ofthemside flanges 40, 40 in the heel zone 39 is preferred in order to provide desired clearance for and effective support of the ends of a plurality of transverse pins 417-41, which pivotally support .a .series of yabutment means 42-42 As will be best seen from Fig. 6,: each abutment-unit 42 may comprise a transverse bar having asubstantially flat top surface 43 and a forward stop wall 44. :Each transversebar 42 preferably is supported at its opposite ends by a pair Iof lever arms 45, 45, each having a hole 46 therein through whicih `one of the mounting and pivot pins 41 extends. As indicated in Fig. 5, the pair of lever arms 45, arepreferably spaced apart a distance permitting them to be received between and-rather close to ythe-'inner faces of the heel zone side flanges 40, 40.

The top plate 31 is cutaway inv the heel zone 39 to provide an elongated aperture 47 which ris of a width slightly greater than the length of each abutment bar y42 and of a width sufficient to receive in -longitudinally-spaced relation theplurality -of longitudinally-spaced abutment units 42-42. It will be understood, however, that if desired, a

separate transversely-extending aperture may be provided which has one arm 49 resting against the `top face of base plate 32 and its other arm 50 disposed beneath the abut- .ment bar, with an intervening plurality of turns 51 coiled about pivotpin 41. YEach'biasing spring 48 thus tends to hold the abutment bar 42 `with which it is associated to the outwardly projecting position, as indicated in Figs. 2, 4 and 5, with shoulders 52, 52 on the lever arms 45, 45 abutted against the under face of the top plate 31 at the side margins of the aperture 47 to provide rise limiting stops. Each biasing spring 48 preferably has a irelatively small biasing force, so that each abutment bar 42 may be easily depressed -to lower its top surface 43 to substantial flushness with the top surface of the top plate 31, as indicated in dot-ted lines in Fig. l.

In assembling t-he elements of the device of the present invention shown in Figs. l to 6 incl., each abutment unit 42 is positioned in the heel Zone 39 of the` bottomplate 32 with its lever arms 45, 45 located between sideanges 40, 4). One end `of one of the pins 41 is inserted through one of a series of holes 53 in one of the sideanges 4,0-and hole 46 in the adjacent lever arm 45 aligned therewith, and then through the coils 51 of spring V48, finally to be received through alignedholes 46 and 53 in lthe other lever arm 45 and the other side flange 40 respectively,to produce the assembly of those units :depicted in Fig. 5. After allof the abutment units 42-42 are successively assembled inithat fashion relative t-o the base plate 32, top plate 31 is telescoped down thereover with the abutment units projecting up through the aperture 47 and-withthe top plate side flanges 37, 37 lapping down over the-outer sides of the side anges 40,40 and 3S, 38. Through aligned holes in those lapped side flanges near opposite ends of the assembled device, transverse pins 54, 54 are inserted and anchored in any suitable fashion, such as by peening over the outer ends thereof to rivet the parts together. The embodiment of the invention illustrated yin Figs. l to 6 incl. may be installed by a car owner as an accessory readily attachable to the existing accelerator pedal, such as that illustrated at 24, in a simple manner such as by drilling holes 35, 35 in the pedal to align with the holes 33, 33 in the base plate 32 and fastening them together by the bolts 34, 34.

.In operation of the mounted device or superstructure unit 23 as illustrated in Fig. l, the driver rests lhis foot,

suchr as that illustrated at 29,- thereagainst in a comfortable Those-of the-abutment units f42-42-which lie immediately beneathhis heel, illustrated at 55, are depressed to substantial tlushness with the top surface of the top plate 31 while the adjacent abutment unit 42 remains projected so that its forward wall 44 provides a stop for the back edge of the heel, preventing backward sliding thereof and assuring maintenance of the selected position. The series of abutment units 42-42 is particularly useful to lady drivers even though they may be wearing highheeled pumps, the heel'bottom surfaces of which are of a small area, particularly since the top surface 43 yof any particular depressed abutment unit 42 will provide a secure supporting surface, substantially flush with the top surface of the top plate 31. This flushness is attained by virtue of the fact that-when the lever arms 45, 45 swing down to contact of the top face of base plate 32, the top surface 43 of the abutment bar 42 is substantially aligned with the top surface of the top plate 31. Accordingly, the top surfaces of the abutment units 42-42, singly or together, provide effective supporting surfaces inthe depressed positions.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 7, 8 and 9, the unit 128 includes an elongated hollow body 130 having its top plate 131 provided in the heel zone with a series of transversely-extending, longitudinally-spaced, substantially rectangular apertures 147-147, in each of which is reciprocatively mounted a transversely-elongated abutment bar y142. Asis best seen in Figs. 8 and 9, each abutment bar 142 preferably is in the form of an inverted rectangular cup having an internal chamber 56. Opposite Vsidesof ,each cup 142 preferably are provided .with laterally-projecting tianges 57, 57 kwhich are disposed below the top plate 131 to serve as stops limiting outward movement of each abutment bar. Base plate A132 of the hollow body 128 preferably carries al series of pairs of upwardly-projecting, longitudinally-spaced flanges 58, 58 with each pair mounted beneath one of the apertures 147. Preferably, the biasing means for each abutment bar 142 is in the form of a pair of helical compression springs 148, 148, having the upper ends vthereof received in the chamber 56 and the lower ends thereof positionedbetween the longitudinally-spaced pair of flanges 58, 58. The latter are of such lateral dimension as to be closelybut readily receivable in the bar chamber 56 so thateaeh abutment bar 142may be tele- -scoped down over its pair of-spiing-guiding flanges 58, 58, with the latter serving as a guide of the reciprocative movement of the bar.

It will be understood from the preceding description and recital of operation of the embodiment of the device illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6 incl., that the operation of the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 7, 8 and 9 is similar. .Theabutment bars 142--142 over which a persons heel rests will be depressed to substantial flushness with the top surface of top plate 131, the spring-guiding flanges 58, 58 of each being telescopically received in its charnber 56 and with the compression springs 148, 148 therein foreshortened by compression. `The projecting abutment Vunit 142, which is located rearwardly of the back-edge of the heel, will serve as the stop to avoid rearward lateral slipping of a persons foot. It is to be understood-that justas in the case of the embodiment of Figs. l to 6 incl.,

any :abutment unit `142 of the device illustrated in Figs. 7, 8 and 9, vwhich is located forward of a persons heel,

may also-serve to prevent forward slipping of a persons foot. For example, one wearing high heels may so position her foot on the top plate 131 as to depress an intermediate bar 142, leaving the other bars 142, 142 located on -opposite sides thereof projecting to serve as stops to prevent slipping both rearward and forward. It is to be understood that any desired number of bars 142--142 may be employed and that rthey may be of similar or different relative dimensions, as may be dictated by any particular need.

:In"Figs.`^l0 andf'll, Yanother-embodiment'of thefinvention is illustrated at 228, wherein elongated hollow body .239 is provided with a top plate 231 having inthe heel zone thereof a plurality of longitudinally-spaced, transversely-extending rows of circular apertures 247-247. Through each circular aperture 247 reciprocatively extends a substantially cylindrical button 242, preferably in the form of an inverted cup having an internal chamber 156 and provided with an annular llange 157 disposed beneath top plate 231 to serve as a stop limiting outward movement. Base plate 232 carries a series of upwardly-extending tubes 158-158, each of which is telescopically receivable in one of the cup chambers 156. Each of a plurality of the helical compression springs 148 is mounted in the chamber provided by one of the tubes 158 and the cup 242 telescoped thereover.

ln operation of the Figs. and 11 embodiment, each transverse row of buttons 242, 242 may serve as an abutment unit, or each button may alone serve that function, depending upon the particular location of a persons heel upon the top plate 231. Those of the buttons 242-242 which are located beneath ones heel are depressed to substantial flushness with the top surface of the top plate-231. Of course, a greater number of the buttons 242-242 of small dimension may be mounted in each transverse row and a greater number of rows may be provided in the heel zone, if desired.

In the embodiment illustrated at 328 in Figs. 12 and 13, top plate 331 of the elongated hollow body 330 is provided with a series of longitudinallyspaced, transversely-extending substantially rectangular apertures 347-347 similar to those indicated at 147-147 in Fig. 7. Each rectangular aperture 347 reciprocatively receives therein a transversely-extending rectangular bar 342, each preferably in the form of a relatively thick body having in the underface thereof a pair of sockets 256, 256, in each of which is seated the upper end of a helical compression spring 148. Each bar 342preferably is provided with a pair of laterally-extending end flanges 257, 257, each of which is notched at 59 slidably to receive a downwardly-extending tongue 68, formed from the stock of the top plate 331 and bent downwardly, with a pair thereof serving as guides for each bar 343. In such a structure, the lower ends of each pair of compression springs 148, 14S need not be provided with guide means, such as a pairA of the longitudinally-spaced'anges 58, 58 or tubes 158, 158, in view of the socketing at 256, 256 and the provision of such bar guides 60, 60. The operation of the device 328, lillustrated in Fig-s.` 12 and 13, is similar to that of the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 7, 8 and 9.

The assembly illustrated at 428 in Figs. 14 and 15 may comprise a hollow body 430, having top plate 31 similar to that of the Figs. l to 6 incl. embodiment, provided with the elongated aperture 47. A series of nested abutment units, 61, 62, 63, 64 and 65, are mounted in the hollow body 430 to project in longitudinally-spaced relation through the aperture 47, as is best seen in Fig. 14. The transverse bars 61 to 65 incl. are progressively shorter so that, for example, bar 62 is slidably receivable between lever arms 145, 145 of abutment bar 61 and bar 63 is slidably receivable between lever arms 245, 245 of bar 62, etc. The pairs of lever arms 145, 145; 245, 245; 345, 345; 445, 445; and 545, 545, respectively of the abutment bars 61, 62, 63, 64 and 65 are progressively shorter so that they are pivotally mounted upon a common pivoting pin 141, extending transversely through and mounted in hollow body 438 in a manner similar to the mounting of any one of the pivoting pins 41 in the body 30 of the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 6 incl. Suitable separate biasing means are provided for each of the transverse abutment bars 61 to 65 incl., such as, for example, one or more compression springs 148 located between the base plate 32 and the underside of the bar. If desired, suitable guide pins (not shown) may be extended through the bottom plate 32 and the top portions of the hollow bars 61 to 65 incl. to be received in the end turns of each' of the helical springs 148 to prevent undue canting during depressive foreshortening, as is common in the biasing spring art.` The operation of the embodiment of the device illustrates in Figs. 14 and l5 will be understood from that outlined above in connection with the embodiment shown in Figs. l to 6 incl.

Although various embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated as separate superstructure assemblies for mounting as additional units upon accelerator pedals of automobiles, it is to be understood that advantageous use thereof is not limited to such a service. For example, embodiments of the device of the present invention may be incorporated in a fixed heel rest which is to cooperate with a foot accelerator control of the button type, such as that illustrated in Stark 1,987,806. lt is also to be understood that the present invention may be employed to advantage in treadle or pedal structures intended for different services and that such foot controls need not be initially oriented obliquely as proposed in Fig. 1 in order to attain the advantages of the present invention.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding description, are eiciently attained and, since certain changes may be made in the above construction and dilerent embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description, or shown in the accompanying drawings, shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements `of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. An automatically adjustable heel rest. for foot controls comprising, in combination, body means having an elongated recessed top portion for support thereon of at least a persons shoe heel, a successive series of movable heel rest abutment means longitudinally arranged along and separately retractable into said recessed top portion, and means separately biasing said series of abutment means outwardly normally to project them individually from and beyond said recessed top portion selectively to be engaged at least behind a persons shoe heel when rested on said top portion to limit longitudinally lateral movement of the heel relative to the elongated top portion at least in a rearward direction, said biasing means being of such strength as to permit said abutment means individually to be depressible selectively for retraction into the recessed top portion whereby a persons heel may be rested upon said body means in any one of a plurality of dierent longitudinal positions with depression of such abutment means as may be located therebeneath and with engagement of a side of the abutment means immediately thereadjacent to prevent motion of the heel along said body means from the selected location.

2. The heel rest as dened in claim 1 characterized by said series of abutment means constituting a plurality of transversely-extending means each of appreciable lateral dimension to provide successive heel-engaging means of appreciable width for sure heel engagement.

3. The heel rest as defined in claim 2 characterized by each of said plurality of transversely-extending abutment means being in the form of an elongated bar movably located in a slot in said top portion with the forward side thereof adapted to be engaged by the back edge of ones shoe heel when said abutment means is in its outward projecting position, and spring means biasing each of said bars to an outward heel-engaging position projecting through the slot while being depressible into said slot against the biasing force of said spring means.

4. The heel rest as defined in claim 3 characterized by surface when said bar is depressed into said hollow body 5. The heel rest as delined in claim 4 characterized by each of said bars being mounted upon lever means pivotally housed-in said-hollow body Awith each lever means being Vindividuallybiased bya separate spring in said body means normally to project itsbar out of the slot -through which said bar is mounted.

6. The heel. rest as defined in claim 2 characterized by eachfof said transversely-extending abutmentmeans being in the form ofa row of separatelprojecting elements each f1 individuallybiased outwardly.

Y7."I`heheel rest as-deiined'in'claim 6 characterized by 8. An automatically adjustable heelrest for foot con- 'trols of the accelerator pedal type comprising, in com- Vbir1ation,fan elongated hollow body adaptedvto overlay an accelerator pedal and having base means detachably :mountable to such a pedal, saidhollow body being provided with an elongated top plate having Ya forward toesupporting zone and arearward theel-supporting zone,

:at least oneportion of the heel-supporting zone of --said 'top plate being cut away, a plurality of heel rest abutment meansmovablymounted in and projecting through the cut-away zone, and a plurality of biasing means -separately biasing said labutment means outward to eXtend -appreciably above said top plate `t`or heel engagement,

said biasing means being of such strength as to permit -weight of a persons foot to depress such of said abutment means `as may be f covered by the heel when the foot is restedon saidtop plate in any of a plurality of -selected positions with-the abutment means adjacent the r-heelpreventing foot slippage alongrsaid top plate.

9. The heel rest as defined in claimv 8 characterized by .thecut-away zoneproviding a single aperture elongated longitudinally of said top platewith said abutment means including elongated transversebars extending from the :aperture in .substantially transverse parallel relation.

v10. Theheel rest asdeiined in claim 9 characterized 'byach of said Iabutment means including lever means pivotally mounted insaid body and supporting one of said'bars in the,aperture,.said bars being depressible with .swingof said lever means against theforce of biasing tosubstantial iushness of the .top surfaces of said bars vandsaid top plate.

11. The heel-rest as deiinedinclaim 10 characterized by said v-lever means 'including .longitudinally-extending Aarmswhicbhare progressively longer for the successive bars 4with-said arms beingpivotally supported in said body on-a common axis.

`12. Theheel rest/as defined inclaim Scharacterized by aplurality of transversely-elongated, longitudinallyspacedapertures togetherdeiining said cut-away zone, each of lsaid abutment meansbeing in the form of a transversely-elongated bar reciprocatively mounted in one of .the apertures, each of .said biasing means being separate Avcompression .spring meansmonnted beneath one of said :b.ars,:and,stop means for eachof said bars to limit outward movementthereofthrough the `aperture in which vitis mounted.

13 Therheelrest as definedin claim Scharacterized -bya plurality of transverse longitudinally-spaced rows of :apertures deiningsaidicut-awayzone, each of said abut- 2ment, means beingl in the form of a buttonreciprocatively vmounted in one of said apertures, ,each oisaid biasing means being separate compression spring meansV mounted beneath` one of.said buttons, and stop `means for each of said buttons to limit outward movement thereof through the aperture inwhich it is mounted.

14. The heel rest asdelined in claim 8 characterized `by applurality of transversely-elongated, longitudinallyspaced apertures together deiining said cut-away zone, each of said abutment meansbeing in the form of a transverselyfelongated bar reciprocatively mounted in one of the apertures, leach of said biasingrmeans being a bank yofhelical compression spring mounted beneath one of said bars, springguide means provided in one of the two members comprising each bar and said body, and stop means to limit outward movement of said bars in the apertures.

15. The heel rest as defined in claim 14 characterized bysaid spring guidemeans as comprising side wall structure in saidbody.

.16. The heel rest as delinedin claim 14 characterized bysaidspring guide means as comprising substantially cylindrical side wall structure on the underside of each of said bars.

`References Cited'in thefile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 270,920 Woodward Ian. 23, 1883 518,163 Shearer Apr. 10, 1894 1,875,399 Ritz Woller Sept. 6, 1932 1,987,806 Stark Ian. 15, 1935 2,133,393 Miller Oct. 18, 1938 2,547,593 'Morris Apr. 3, 1951 

